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Big East surprises Rutgers, Pitt meet in important matchup

Oct 17, 2006 - 7:40 PM No. 19 Rutgers (6-0) at Pittsburgh (6-1), 5:45 pm EDT

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) - Last season, Rutgers posted its first win over Pittsburgh under coach Greg Schiano. With a second straight triumph, the Scarlet Knights would be off to an historic start.

Slowly and steadily moving up the polls, 19th-ranked Rutgers plays the last of three straight road games Saturday when it faces Pittsburgh in a Big East Conference matchup.

Last year, Rutgers (6-0, 1-0 Big East) defeated Pitt, 37-29, to give Schiano his first win in five meetings against the Panthers. With a win at Heinz Field, the Scarlet Knights would move to 7-0 for just the third time in the program's 137-year history.

Looking for their first victory in Pittsburgh since 1998, the Scarlet Knights are coming off a 34-0 victory over Navy.

Mike Teel passed for a career-high three touchdowns and Rutgers shut down the nation's leading rushing attack in the win. The Midshipmen averaged 350.5 rushing yards in their first six games but finished with 110 yards on 50 carries and managed just 159 total yards and nine first downs.

The win over Navy made the Scarlet Knights bowl eligible at the earliest date in school history. It's their best start since an 11-0 campaign in 1976.

Pitt (6-1, 2-0) is off to a fast start as well and will be looking to knock Rutgers from the ranks of the unbeaten and win its fifth straight game.

Off to their best start since the 1982 team that featured quarterback Dan Marino began 7-0, the Panthers are coming off a 52-7 rout of host Central Florida.

LaRod Stephens-Howling, a 5-7 sophomore, carried 19 times for 135 yards - including TD runs of 23, 26 and six yards - for the Panthers, who built a commanding 38-0 halftime bulge.

Tyler Palko completed 11-of-15 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns for Pittsburgh, which opened the contest with a 97-yard kickoff return by Lowell Robinson.

Pitt leads the series, 19-4, and has won eight of the last 10 meetings.